A motorcycle includes a seat on which a rider is seated and at least one pair of footpegs (foot supports) located at a lower portion of the vehicle relative to the seat. Included are foot-operated controls in close proximity to the footpegs such as a brake and a gearshift. While in forward motion and in normal riding, the rider's feet typically rest upon the footpegs. This is typically quite acceptable for riding on paved and/or smooth roads.
However, if the rider encounters very rough terrain or jumps, the shaking may cause the rider's feet to lose contact with the footpegs. The loss of contact may be very dangerous. Experienced riders compensate for this by gripping the sides of the seat with their knees and/or thighs and hanging on to the handlebars. An example of such an experienced rider is a Motocross competitor who routinely rides over very rough terrain and jumps.
Yet riding this way does not maintain an ideal amount of control for a Motocross competition. Various mechanical foot restraints for bicycling and motorcycles have been proposed in the past. Bicycle restraints require that the foot remains constrained during a full circle of pedal motion. This over-constrains the foot in a way that is not acceptable for a motorcycle. For example bicycle-configured restraints do not allow for ease of shifting and breaking using motorcycle foot controls. Not being able to quickly and easily exit a restraint can be a safety issue on a motorcycle.
For a motorcycle, the predominate riding position has the rider with the arch of the rider's boot centered over the footpeg. This footpeg/boot positional relationship allows the rider to reach the gear shift with the left toe, and the rear brake with the right toe. For a skilled rider, the most beneficial position for the feet to navigate rough or difficult terrain is with the ball of the foot centered over the pegs. When a skilled rider needs to shift or brake he moves his foot back to the arch-centered position in order to activate the controls. The ease of being able to move the foot from ball-centered to arch-centered is a key factor for the application of foot restraint to a motorcycle.
The solutions offered for motorcycles have been few in number. Issues with prior designs include ease of entry, ease of exiting, providing adequate vertical restraint, and allowing for shifting and breaking using foot controls. What is desired is a mechanical restraint that addresses all of these issues with motorcycles.